Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte
Encyclopedia
Dr. jur. Dr. rer. pol. Friedrich August Freiherr von der HeydteIn German a Doctor of Law
is abbreviated as Dr. iur. (Doctor iuris) or Dr. jur. (Doctor juris) and a Doctorate
of Economics
is abbreviated as Dr. rer. pol. (Doctor rerum politicarum). (30 March 1907 – 7 July 1994) was a German
Luftwaffe
officer who served with the Fallschirmjäger
during World War II
, reaching the rank of Oberstleutnant
. After the war, he served in the Bundeswehr
, reaching the rank of Brigadegeneral der Reserve.
, Bavaria
. His father, a Freiherr
(roughly equivalent to a baron
) had enjoyed a successful career with the Royal Bavarian Army
, serving with distinction during World War I
. His mother immigrated from France
. The Von der Heydtes were stout Roman Catholics
, and Friedrich attended a Munich Catholic school, achieving excellent grades. He was also a wartime associate of Claus von Stauffenberg, although not directly related.
After completion of his schooling, Friedrich followed his father's path and joined the Reichswehr
. After an unsuccessful application to join the cavalry
, Friedrich was posted to Infanterie-Regiment Nr.19 on 1 April 1925. He did not give up on his goal of joining the cavalry, and soon secured a posting as an officer cadet
in Kavallerie-Regiment Nr.18.
In 1927, Von der Heydte was released from military service to attend Innsbruck University, studying Law
and Economics
. During this time, he became a private tutor
to pay his university fees, as despite their noble status, his family was in dire financial troubles. He received a degree in Economics
at Innsbruck University. In 1927, Von der Heydte was awarded his degree in law at Graz University, and traveled to Berlin
to continue his studies. Late in the year, he secured a posting to a diplomatic school in Vienna
. During his college years, the young Von der Heydte developed decidedly liberal
views, and on his return to Germany, found himself at odds with popular opinion.
By 1934, Von der Heydte obtained Austria
n citizenship while also maintaining German/Bavarian citizenship. He had become involved in several brawls with pro-Nazi
students, and only evaded the Gestapo
by rejoining his old cavalry regiment. During this period he received a stipend from the Carnegie Institute for Peace
. In 1934 he re-joined the Reichswehr
, and it 1935 he was transferred to Kavallerie-Regiment Nr.15 and promoted to Lieutenant
within the Wehrmacht
. He again secured his temporary release from the military for study, and traveled to the Netherlands
where he furthered his education at The Hague
.
Late in 1935, Von der Heydte's company of the regiment was transformed from a cavalry to an anti-tank company. After studying for over two years in The Hague, he returned to the military, where he attended a General Staff Officer's course over the winter of 1938-39. In August 1939, he was recalled to his company in preparation for the planned Invasion of Poland
, Fall Weiß.
Regiment during the Battle of Crete
in May 1941. His battalion was the first to enter Canea, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
and North Africa. In his memoirs he stated that he watched an Italian tank division be destroyed while the Germans withdrew after the Second Battle of El Alamein
.
Regiment. The unit was formed from veteran paratroopers and Luftwaffe ground personnel in early 1944 at Köln-Wahn. The Regiment had an average age of 17½, with a combined strength of 3457 men as of May 19, and around 4500 men by June 6, 1944.
The dispositions of three battalions on June 6th, 1944 were as follows:
1st battalion advancing towards Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
to relieve the strongpoint W5 and reinforce the defense of Utah Beach
2nd battalion advancing towards Sainte-Mère-Église
and attempt to make contact with 795 Ost battalion (Georgian).
3rd battalion remaining southwest of Carentan to provide flank security.
On D-Day, about 500 US paratroopers dropped southwest of Carentan. Skirmishing between airborne troops of both sides went on throughout the night.
The 1st battalion managed to reach Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
, only 6 kilometers from strongpoint W5; but finding the town held by the elements of 101st Airborne, the battalion dug in among the hedgerows outside the town. On June 7, after fighting a combined assault of US paratroopers and tanks most of the day, the battalion was destroyed in a fighting withdrawal towards Carentan. About 300 men surrendered. Only 25 reached Carentan.
The 2nd battalion found Sainte-Mère-Église
held by the 507th Infantry Regiment (United States), fought until its ammunition ran low and withdrew towards St. Come-du-Mont. From the town's church tower (and artillery observation post) Von der Heydte saw the vast Allied invasion armada 11 kilometers away.
After heavy fighting on June 7, the 2nd and 3rd battalions were withdrawn into Carentan.
Von der Heydte was ordered by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
to defend Carentan to the last man, since it was the critical junction between Utah Beach
and Omaha Beach
Starting around the night of June 10, US troops entered the outskirts of Carentan, and by morning of June 11 fierce fighting went from house to house. To illustrate the intensity: a US battalion (3rd of 502nd PIR) had 700 men entering Carentan and after two days' fighting only 132 men were left. By dusk on June 11, Von der Heydte withdrew what remained of his men out of Carentan to avoid encirclement. The commander of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division was furious and wanted to arrest Von der Heydte, only intervention from Von der Heydte's higher ranking brethren saved the situation.
A counterattack on June 12 failed to retake the town. For their battle at Carentan, the German paratroopers earned the nickname "Lions of Carentan" from the US paratroopers. Von der Heydte's regiment was subsequently involved in the intense hedgerow fighting (also known as the battle of the Bocage
) defending every inch of ground that was characteristic of the Normandy campaign.
On July 22, Von der Heydte's 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment was mentioned in a Wehrmacht communique
when 32 of his men made a daring raid at St. Germain-sur-Seves on an entire American battalion (the 1st battalion of 358th Regiment, US 90th Infantry Division), capturing 265 men, including 11 officers. St. Germain-sur-Seves is located between Carentan and Perier. Oberfeldwebel Alexander Uhlig
leading the raid was awarded the Knight's Cross
.
On August 6, Von der Heydte's regiment participated in Operation Lüttich
, the disastrous Mortain counterattack attempting to cut off the Allies' advance at the Avranches bridgehead. The German Seventh Army was subsequently encircled at Falaise Pocket
, the final and epic battle of the Normandy campaign.
In September 1944 his regiment was involved in defending the German lines in North Brabant
(The Netherlands) against the Allied Forces attacking in the operation Market Garden
Von der Heydte led his unit of 1200 men, Kampfgruppe Von der Heydte in the last large-scale German airborne drop of the war, Operation Stösser
. The unit was tasked with dropping at night onto a strategic road junction 11 kilometers north of Malmédy and to hold it for approximately twenty-four hours until relieved by the 12th SS Panzer Division, with the aim of hampering the flow of Allied reinforcements and supplies.
However, due to a combination of factors, including lack of reconnaissance of the drop zone and the Luftwaffe pilots' lack of training in dropping paratroopers at night, the Fallschirmjäger were widely dispersed - some landing behind the German frontlines. Initially, only 125 men made it to the correct landing zone, with no heavy weapons. Eventually, 300 men were gathered from the surrounding woods, but without sufficient forces, the task of capturing the crossroads to delay the American re-enforcements was abandoned. In any case, the 12th SS Panzer Division was unable to defeat the Americans at Elsenborn Ridge
, and so failed to relieve the Fallschirmjäger.
However, because of the dispersal of the drop, Fallschirmjäger were reported all over the Ardennes, and the Allies believed a division-sized jump had taken place. This caused much confusion and convinced them to allocate men to secure the rear instead of facing the main German thrust at the front.
Cut off, without supplies and hunted by forces including a regiment of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division
and a combat command of the U.S. 3rd Armored Division
, Von der Heydte ordered his men to break through Allied lines and reach the German front.
Von der Heydte arrived in Monschau
on the evening of December 21st, with a broken arm. On December 23, he had a school teacher's son send a surrender note to the Allies. He was held as a prisoner of war
in England until July 12, 1947.
, entitled "Die Entstehung des modernen Staates" (The Emergence of the Modern State.") In 1951, he attained the Professor's chair at the University of Mainz for Civil and International Law. In 1962, he was promoted to Brigadier General in the Reserves of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany,) one of only two to receive that rank. In the same year he denounced the Spiegel magazine
for treason which triggered the Spiegel affair
. He served as a member of the Bavarian State Parliament as a member of the Christian Social Union
from 1966 to 1970.
He Had a Chat With Easy Company Commander Richard Winters In 1989 in His Home in Munich
in Czechoslovakia
, Von der Heydte said, "Half a million people have been put to death there for certain. I know that all the Jews from Bavaria were taken there. Yet the camp never became over-crowded. They gassed mental defectives, too."http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=469883&in_page_id=1879
"What would you do in my place?"
---on June 10th, 1944, replying to a request of surrender by American paratroopers
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-9332.html
"The battle for Crete was to prove the overture to the great tragedy which reached its climax at El Alamein and Stalingrad. For the first time there had stood against us a brave and relentless opponent on a battleground which favoured him." http://ww2today.com/28th-may-1941-the-germans-count-the-cost-of-crete
Doctor of law
Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degrees such as the LL.D., Ph.D., J.D., J.S.D., and Dr. iur.-Argentina:...
is abbreviated as Dr. iur. (Doctor iuris) or Dr. jur. (Doctor juris) and a Doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
of Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
is abbreviated as Dr. rer. pol. (Doctor rerum politicarum). (30 March 1907 – 7 July 1994) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
officer who served with the Fallschirmjäger
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, reaching the rank of Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
. After the war, he served in the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, reaching the rank of Brigadegeneral der Reserve.
Early life
Von der Heydte was born to a noble family in MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
. His father, a Freiherr
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
(roughly equivalent to a baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
) had enjoyed a successful career with the Royal Bavarian Army
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria was a German state that existed from 1806 to 1918. The Bavarian Elector Maximilian IV Joseph of the House of Wittelsbach became the first King of Bavaria in 1806 as Maximilian I Joseph. The monarchy would remain held by the Wittelsbachs until the kingdom's dissolution in 1918...
, serving with distinction during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. His mother immigrated from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The Von der Heydtes were stout Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, and Friedrich attended a Munich Catholic school, achieving excellent grades. He was also a wartime associate of Claus von Stauffenberg, although not directly related.
After completion of his schooling, Friedrich followed his father's path and joined the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
. After an unsuccessful application to join the cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, Friedrich was posted to Infanterie-Regiment Nr.19 on 1 April 1925. He did not give up on his goal of joining the cavalry, and soon secured a posting as an officer cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
in Kavallerie-Regiment Nr.18.
In 1927, Von der Heydte was released from military service to attend Innsbruck University, studying Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
. During this time, he became a private tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
to pay his university fees, as despite their noble status, his family was in dire financial troubles. He received a degree in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Innsbruck University. In 1927, Von der Heydte was awarded his degree in law at Graz University, and traveled to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to continue his studies. Late in the year, he secured a posting to a diplomatic school in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. During his college years, the young Von der Heydte developed decidedly liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
views, and on his return to Germany, found himself at odds with popular opinion.
By 1934, Von der Heydte obtained Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n citizenship while also maintaining German/Bavarian citizenship. He had become involved in several brawls with pro-Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
students, and only evaded the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
by rejoining his old cavalry regiment. During this period he received a stipend from the Carnegie Institute for Peace
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is a foreign-policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. The organization describes itself as being dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States...
. In 1934 he re-joined the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
, and it 1935 he was transferred to Kavallerie-Regiment Nr.15 and promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
within the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. He again secured his temporary release from the military for study, and traveled to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
where he furthered his education at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
.
Late in 1935, Von der Heydte's company of the regiment was transformed from a cavalry to an anti-tank company. After studying for over two years in The Hague, he returned to the military, where he attended a General Staff Officer's course over the winter of 1938-39. In August 1939, he was recalled to his company in preparation for the planned Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
, Fall Weiß.
Crete
Von der Heydte commanded the 1st battalion of the 3rd FallschirmjägerFallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
Regiment during the Battle of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
in May 1941. His battalion was the first to enter Canea, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
.
Mid-War
Von der Heydte fought in RussiaEastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
and North Africa. In his memoirs he stated that he watched an Italian tank division be destroyed while the Germans withdrew after the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
.
Normandy
Von der Heydte was commander of the 6th FallschirmjägerFallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
Regiment. The unit was formed from veteran paratroopers and Luftwaffe ground personnel in early 1944 at Köln-Wahn. The Regiment had an average age of 17½, with a combined strength of 3457 men as of May 19, and around 4500 men by June 6, 1944.
The dispositions of three battalions on June 6th, 1944 were as follows:
1st battalion advancing towards Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Manche
Sainte-Marie-du-Mont is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-World War II:It is best known for being the scene of military engagement between the American 101st Airborne Division and the German Wehrmacht on D-Day, June 6, 1944.-Heraldry:-References:*...
to relieve the strongpoint W5 and reinforce the defense of Utah Beach
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the code name for the right flank, or westernmost, of the Allied landing beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as part of Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944...
2nd battalion advancing towards Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-History:Founded in the eleventh Century, the earliest records include the name Sancte Marie Ecclesia, Latin for "Church of St. Mary", while a later document written in Norman-French mentions Saincte...
and attempt to make contact with 795 Ost battalion (Georgian).
3rd battalion remaining southwest of Carentan to provide flank security.
On D-Day, about 500 US paratroopers dropped southwest of Carentan. Skirmishing between airborne troops of both sides went on throughout the night.
The 1st battalion managed to reach Sainte-Marie-du-Mont
Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Manche
Sainte-Marie-du-Mont is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-World War II:It is best known for being the scene of military engagement between the American 101st Airborne Division and the German Wehrmacht on D-Day, June 6, 1944.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, only 6 kilometers from strongpoint W5; but finding the town held by the elements of 101st Airborne, the battalion dug in among the hedgerows outside the town. On June 7, after fighting a combined assault of US paratroopers and tanks most of the day, the battalion was destroyed in a fighting withdrawal towards Carentan. About 300 men surrendered. Only 25 reached Carentan.
The 2nd battalion found Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église
Sainte-Mère-Église is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.-History:Founded in the eleventh Century, the earliest records include the name Sancte Marie Ecclesia, Latin for "Church of St. Mary", while a later document written in Norman-French mentions Saincte...
held by the 507th Infantry Regiment (United States), fought until its ammunition ran low and withdrew towards St. Come-du-Mont. From the town's church tower (and artillery observation post) Von der Heydte saw the vast Allied invasion armada 11 kilometers away.
After heavy fighting on June 7, the 2nd and 3rd battalions were withdrawn into Carentan.
Von der Heydte was ordered by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
to defend Carentan to the last man, since it was the critical junction between Utah Beach
Utah Beach
Utah Beach was the code name for the right flank, or westernmost, of the Allied landing beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy, as part of Operation Overlord on 6 June 1944...
and Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
Starting around the night of June 10, US troops entered the outskirts of Carentan, and by morning of June 11 fierce fighting went from house to house. To illustrate the intensity: a US battalion (3rd of 502nd PIR) had 700 men entering Carentan and after two days' fighting only 132 men were left. By dusk on June 11, Von der Heydte withdrew what remained of his men out of Carentan to avoid encirclement. The commander of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division was furious and wanted to arrest Von der Heydte, only intervention from Von der Heydte's higher ranking brethren saved the situation.
A counterattack on June 12 failed to retake the town. For their battle at Carentan, the German paratroopers earned the nickname "Lions of Carentan" from the US paratroopers. Von der Heydte's regiment was subsequently involved in the intense hedgerow fighting (also known as the battle of the Bocage
Bocage
Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages. It may refer to a small forest, a decorative element of leaves, a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, or a type of rubble-work, comparable with the English use of 'rustic' in relation to garden...
) defending every inch of ground that was characteristic of the Normandy campaign.
On July 22, Von der Heydte's 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment was mentioned in a Wehrmacht communique
Wehrmachtbericht
The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
when 32 of his men made a daring raid at St. Germain-sur-Seves on an entire American battalion (the 1st battalion of 358th Regiment, US 90th Infantry Division), capturing 265 men, including 11 officers. St. Germain-sur-Seves is located between Carentan and Perier. Oberfeldwebel Alexander Uhlig
Alexander Uhlig
Dipl.-Ing. Alexander UhligIn German an engineer's degree is called Diplom-Ingenieur was a highly decorated Fallschirmjäger during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
leading the raid was awarded the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
.
On August 6, Von der Heydte's regiment participated in Operation Lüttich
Operation Lüttich
Operation Lüttich was a codename given to a German counterattack during the Battle of Normandy, which took place around the American positions near Mortain from 7 August to 13 August 1944...
, the disastrous Mortain counterattack attempting to cut off the Allies' advance at the Avranches bridgehead. The German Seventh Army was subsequently encircled at Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
, the final and epic battle of the Normandy campaign.
In September 1944 his regiment was involved in defending the German lines in North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
(The Netherlands) against the Allied Forces attacking in the operation Market Garden
Market Garden
Market Garden can refer to:* Market gardening* Operation Market Garden...
Operation Stösser
On December 16, 1944, during the Ardennes OffensiveBattle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
Von der Heydte led his unit of 1200 men, Kampfgruppe Von der Heydte in the last large-scale German airborne drop of the war, Operation Stösser
Operation Stösser
Operation Stösser was a paratroop drop into the American rear in the Hohes Veen area during the Battle of the Bulge. Their objective was to take and hold the "Baraque Michel" crossroads until the arrival of the 12th SS Panzer Division. The operation was led by Oberst Friedrich August Freiherr von...
. The unit was tasked with dropping at night onto a strategic road junction 11 kilometers north of Malmédy and to hold it for approximately twenty-four hours until relieved by the 12th SS Panzer Division, with the aim of hampering the flow of Allied reinforcements and supplies.
However, due to a combination of factors, including lack of reconnaissance of the drop zone and the Luftwaffe pilots' lack of training in dropping paratroopers at night, the Fallschirmjäger were widely dispersed - some landing behind the German frontlines. Initially, only 125 men made it to the correct landing zone, with no heavy weapons. Eventually, 300 men were gathered from the surrounding woods, but without sufficient forces, the task of capturing the crossroads to delay the American re-enforcements was abandoned. In any case, the 12th SS Panzer Division was unable to defeat the Americans at Elsenborn Ridge
Elsenborn Ridge
The Elsenborn Ridge is a ridge line east of the town of Elsenborn, Belgium in the Ardennes forest that was the blocking line on the northern shoulder of the Battle of the Bulge. Their area was the main line of advance for Hitler's prized 12th SS Hitlerjugend. Units of V Corps of the First U.S...
, and so failed to relieve the Fallschirmjäger.
However, because of the dispersal of the drop, Fallschirmjäger were reported all over the Ardennes, and the Allies believed a division-sized jump had taken place. This caused much confusion and convinced them to allocate men to secure the rear instead of facing the main German thrust at the front.
Cut off, without supplies and hunted by forces including a regiment of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division
U.S. 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army is the oldest division in the United States Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917...
and a combat command of the U.S. 3rd Armored Division
U.S. 3rd Armored Division
The 3rd Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army. Nickamed the Third Herd, the division was first activated in 1941, and was active in the European Theater of World War II. The division was stationed in West Germany for much of the Cold War, and participated in the...
, Von der Heydte ordered his men to break through Allied lines and reach the German front.
Von der Heydte arrived in Monschau
Monschau
Monschau is a small resort town in the Eifel region of western Germany, located in the district Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia.-Geography:The town is located in the hills of the North Eifel, within the Hohes Venn – Eifel Nature Park in the narrow valley of the Rur river.The historic town center...
on the evening of December 21st, with a broken arm. On December 23, he had a school teacher's son send a surrender note to the Allies. He was held as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in England until July 12, 1947.
Post-war career
In 1950, Von der Heydte submitted his inaugural dissertationInaugural dissertation
An inaugural dissertation is a presentation of major work by a new professor or doctor, in writing and/or in public speech, to inaugurate their professorship or doctorship. This academic ritual is traditional in much of Europe , although it is becoming less common in some countries and institutions...
, entitled "Die Entstehung des modernen Staates" (The Emergence of the Modern State.") In 1951, he attained the Professor's chair at the University of Mainz for Civil and International Law. In 1962, he was promoted to Brigadier General in the Reserves of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany,) one of only two to receive that rank. In the same year he denounced the Spiegel magazine
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
for treason which triggered the Spiegel affair
Spiegel scandal
The Spiegel Affair of 1962 was one of the major political scandals in Germany in the era following World War II.The scandal involved a conflict between Franz Josef Strauss, then Federal Minister of Defense, and Rudolf Augstein, owner and editor-in-chief of Der Spiegel magazine, Germany's leading...
. He served as a member of the Bavarian State Parliament as a member of the Christian Social Union
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
The Christian Social Union in Bavaria is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It operates only in the state of Bavaria, while its sister party, the Christian Democratic Union , operates in the other 15 states of Germany...
from 1966 to 1970.
He Had a Chat With Easy Company Commander Richard Winters In 1989 in His Home in Munich
Books
- Daedalus Returned (Hutchinson, 1958) - An account of the Battle of CreteBattle of CreteThe Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
. - Der moderne Kleinkrieg als wehrpolitisches und militärisches Phänomen (Modern Irregular WarfareIrregular warfareIrregular warfare is warfare in which one or more combatants are irregular military rather than regular forces. Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare, and so is asymmetric warfare....
.) Executive Intelligence Review, Nachrichtenagentur GmbH, Wiesbaden, Neuausgabe 1986 ISBN 3-925725-03-2 (Erstausgabe: Holzner-Verlag, Würzburg 1972)
Quote
Regarding the Theresienstadt concentration campTheresienstadt concentration camp
Theresienstadt concentration camp was a Nazi German ghetto during World War II. It was established by the Gestapo in the fortress and garrison city of Terezín , located in what is now the Czech Republic.-History:The fortress of Terezín was constructed between the years 1780 and 1790 by the orders...
in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Von der Heydte said, "Half a million people have been put to death there for certain. I know that all the Jews from Bavaria were taken there. Yet the camp never became over-crowded. They gassed mental defectives, too."http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=469883&in_page_id=1879
"What would you do in my place?"
---on June 10th, 1944, replying to a request of surrender by American paratroopers
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-9332.html
"The battle for Crete was to prove the overture to the great tragedy which reached its climax at El Alamein and Stalingrad. For the first time there had stood against us a brave and relentless opponent on a battleground which favoured him." http://ww2today.com/28th-may-1941-the-germans-count-the-cost-of-crete
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (27 September 1939)
- 1st Class (26 September 1940)
- Fallschirmschützenabzeichen (Luftwaffe)Parachutist Badge (Germany)The German Armed Forces Parachutist Badge is the badge awarded to and worn by qualified parachutists of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany...
- Kreta Cuff bandCuff titleA cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....
- Eastern Front MedalEastern Front MedalThe Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...
- Afrika Cuff bandCuff titleA cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (9 March 1942) - Military Long Service Award IVth class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross (9 July 1941)
- 617th Oak Leaves (18 October 1944)
- Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on 11 June 1944 - Bayerischer Verdienstorden (21 May 1974)